He said both suffered broken right legs. The man also had a compound fracture of his upper leg, as well as head injuries and cuts on his arm. They were taken to Hackensack University Medical Center.

Cary said the section of wall that collapsed was 15 feet high and about 25 to 30 feet long. The sheetrock panel, which encloses an area of the mall under renovation, is supported by wooden and metal studs, Cary said.

"It's a temporary wall and it just fell over," the chief said, adding the accident is under investigation by borough construction code officials. "The building department is down there making sure the rest of the temporary walls in place are secure."

The shopping center, formerly known as the Bergen Mall, remained open after the incident, which occurred shortly before 1 p.m. Only the area of the collapse was closed to shoppers.